HOME FOREIGN.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5008, 4 July 1903, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOME FOREIGN.

THE MASSACRE OF JEWS IN RUSSIA.

A circular 'Valued, said a St. Petersburg telegram on Monday, May 11, by th-^Minister of the Interior to tho Gov--I'rofects and chiefs of police, gs.vo tho following account of tho recent attack on tho Jews at Kishineff: —ln tho disturbances, tho originators of ?vliich Icrr tins most part, common people, 45 persons wore killed, 74 severely injured, and 350 slightly injured. About 700 houses belonging to Jews and about 600 shops were looted. The disturbances arose out of the strained relations existing between tho Christians and Jews in Bessarabia. Reports of alleged ritual murders in tho Governments of, Kherson, Kiolf and Kishineff led to a clamour for an attack on tho Jews, and written appeals wore distributed with that object. On Easter Sunday a Christian woman was maltreated by tho Jewish proprietor of a mcrry-go-round, and this provided a direct cause for at-, tacking tho Jews. Tho crowd then threw stones at tho houses of the Jews in the neighbourhood, and marched through the various quarters of the town, everywhere destroying tho houses and booths belonging to Jews. On Easter Sunday nine Jew* wore killed. On tbo following morning the Jews in tho New Bazaar attacked the Christians, ono of whom was killed by a shot fired from tho Jewish side. Tho riots wore thereupon renewed. On tho evening of Easter Monday, when tho troops had been distributed among tho various districts, in accordance with a pro-ar-ranged plan, tho disturbances woro brought to an end. A massacre is reported at Tirespol similar to that at Kishineff, great numbers being killed. Tho Russian newspapers contain long accounts of tho massacres in Kishineff. One account describes tho frantic mob which attacked tho Jewish quarter as being composed of young men, labourers . and even officials and persons in um- , form. They vented their fury on women and children, throwing tho latl-er from second and third storey windows on to tho pavement. The synagogues were pillaged and profaned, tho rolls of tho Law being torn into fragments. An eye-witness of tho outrages which took place in 1882 at Kieff states that the scenes at Kishineff far surpassed in their revolting horror anything he had previously seen. A remarkable fact is that while the massacres lasted not a single shot was fired. Careful preparations had evidently been made for the attack, and a fortnight beforeliand rumours were current that tho Jews were to bo massacred at Easter. Another witness to these terrible scones stated that he endeavoured to rescue an aged Jew who was being tortured, but ho was struck down. Ho would have been killed had not some persons to whom be was known cried out, “You are killing an Orthodox.” The mob was armed with hammers, hatchets and bars of iron, and though they first attacked what wore reputed to bo the richest warehouses and shops their principal object was nob gain, but wanton destruction. Nearly all the victims belonged to the artisan and poorer classes. Deplorable was tho state of the city after tho two day’s massacre. As many of the Jews as could get away had tied, those who remained behind were without shelter, without food, without clothes.' hTey, hid themselves in collars or wherever a refuge could be found. Tho damage done was estimated at several millions of roubles. Throughout the massacre th© authorities seemed to have distinguished themselves by their inactivity, abandoning the unfortunate Jews to the savagery of tho horde of robbers; and although there ore from 8000 to 10,000 troops stationed permaau©nltfi|y at Kishineff, they were only called out cm the third day when tho work of destruction was completed.

GREAT FIRE AT OTTAWA.

There was a fire at Ottawa on Sunday, May 10, which at one Lime threatened to cause a disaster equal to the conflagration which destroyed the City of Hull and a portion of Ottawa three years ago. The fire originated in some , lumber piles on the outskirts of the western part of the city, and is supposed to hare been caused by an incendiary. Farmed by a strong wind, the flames burnt furiously, and to add to the general consternation no water could be got for an hour, owing to a break in the water works. Tho Mayor telegraphed to Montreal for assistance, and : the Militia were called out. Alt sunset the wind, which was blowing a gale in the afternoon, subsided. The .water supply, which had run short, was restored, and the fire was got under control. By this time 250 families, numbering 1000 people, were rendered homeless. The actual damage was estimated at not more than half dollars. Two hundred buildings, comprising dwellings and stores, were burnt down, and thirteen million feet of lumber consumed. All the residences burnt down were built since the great fire of April 26, 1900. It appears that the fire went back over the same territory which was burnt out before, and the city was saved by a high cliff, which confined the 'fire to the flats. The conflagration was a repetition of the great fire of three years ago, the only difference being that it started on the Ottawa side instead of on the Hull side of the Ottawa river. The area of the fire was over one mile in length and 300 yards in width. Haring the conflagration many streets outside the fire area wore almost blocked with furniture which had been hurriedly removed from the dwelling! which were threatened and those which had since been destroyed. Hap. pily, no lives were lost. Nearly all the lumber insurance was with English com-: panics, as well as a considerable portion .of the bouse insurances. ' • , The fire was discovered late in the afternoon in the lumber yards belonging to Mr J. R. Booth. The fire was ' started, it is alleged, by an ex-conviot, who set fire to the same yards years ago, and was then sent to prison for a ton years for the offence. Recently ho obtained his release, and it was believed ho repeated his crime out of revenge. He was arrested. The great fire at Ottawa, referred to above, broke out at Hull on April 26, 1900, and spread across the river to the capital. The city of Hull was entirely destroyed, and a largo section of the western district of Ottawa was burnt. Nineteen hundred dwellings, factories, mills and stores in Ottawa and 1700 in Hull were consumed. Eight persons were burnt to death, about 15,000 persons were rendered homeless, and tho loss of property was estimated at more than £3,000,000.

A FRENCHWOMAN’S LOVE AFFAIR

Madeline Durand, 29, a tall. goodlooking Frenchwoman, living in Wardour street, London, was charged on remand at North London Police Court on Monday, May 11, with attempting to com-

mit suicide by swallowing a quantity of laudanum. Tho evidence snowed that accused, who is married, had become enamoured of a young man, ;us a consequence of which her husband had com* moncod divorce proceedings. The corespondent in the action lives at a library in Stoke Newington, On tho Ist May prisoner called there and drank a quantity of laudanum.—Miss Emma Martin Burr, keeper of a library at Stoke Newington, said that the young man had resided at High street, and since this occurrence ho had been very ill, suffering from fits.—Tho Magistrate: How old is this yo*ung man?—The Witness: Ho is not quite 20 yet.—Did you know that Mmo. Durand was in love with him?—X know that she was always going after him.—Did you understand that her trouble was that she could notmako him fove her?—l undei-stood that she was in great trouble about her husband. I gathered that sue was very fond' of this young man, and that her husband had compelled her to leave his home.—The young man mentioned, continued the witness, was not employed in tho library, but she (witness) thought that tho prisoner expected to seo him there. —Polico-scrgeant 50 N ‘said that ho did not think tho young man could bo brought to the Court. Ho seemed very ill, and every time ho was spoken to on this matter ho wont off into a lib.. —-The husband of tho prisoner was m Court, and bo answered several questions for the Magistrate’s guidance. Ho said that tho yoking man. referred to had bean a friend of his, and was Ihe co-respondent in the divorce proceedings. Ho expected that tho case would bo before the Dlvoroo Court, in about two months.—Mr Eordham committed tho prisoner for trial at tho Sessions. * .

THE SIEGE OF TETUAK.

A despatch from Tangier to Madrid stated that a British torpedo-boat had left for Tetuau, having on board the Secretary of tho British Legation. The authorities at Tehran had boon asked to send reinforcements and munitions to tho Government forces. . Ammunition was sent, but tho troops refused to leave Tehran, allowing grave signs of insubordination, and alleging that the Government was aband ung them. These forces had been withdrawn from Melilla. His Majesty’s battleship Renown has arrived at Gibraltar from Tetuan. She reports that great uneasiness prevailed there, but otherwise the town was tranquil. The . Renown brought over from Tehran the. British Vice-Consul and tho families of two British subjects resident there, also a Moorish gunner whose 'arms were blown off the previous day in a gun accident whilst returning the Renown’s salute. Ho was landed and conveyed to tho hospital. Tho Eritisn steamer Gibolmusa arrived from Tetnan. She landed 85 refugees from that placo at Ceuta and Tangier, and also a few at Gibraltar. According to nows from a private source, Mulai Arafa. the Sultan’s undo, completely defeated tho rebels, and set fire, to the Bonider Kabylo villages. Later telegrams showed that Tehran was besieged by tho rebels, and the position of the inhabitants was rendered serious owing to tho lack of food and ammunition: nevertheless tho forces holding; the town made a successful sortie. Tho Kabyles attacked the suburbs of the town from three different, points, and fought their way up to tho toot ol the wails. . Fighting was very obstinate, and continued until after Mulai Arafa, the leader of the Imperial troops, had gone on board a steamer for Tangier; The Imperial troops eventually regained their positions and drove back the rebels. There were heavy losses on both sides. A courier who arrived at Ceuta from Tetuan by soa stated that tho battle which had been proceeding in the neighbourhood was suspended in order to allow,time for botii sides to bury their dead, who numbered 300. Many heads were displayed. When he left, the town had ammunition for three days only. The British Consul at Tetuan, on arriving at Tangier, declared the situation’to be extremely grave. A French steamer came from Oran for the purpose of taking on board French families at Tetnan, but was obliged to leave without accomplishing her object, as she was unable to enter the port. Two British steamers were returning to Tetuan.

CLAIM TO BE LORD SACKVILLE’S HEIR.

An unusual application was made to Mr Justice Kekewich recently in the case of “West v. Sackville,” in the Chancery Division. The plaintiff, Ernest Henri Jean Baptiste Sackville West, claimed to be the eldest son of the present Lord Sackville, formerly British Minister at Buenos Ayres, Madrid, and Washington, by the latter’s marriage with Josephine Duran de Ortiga in 1864 or 1865, either in Franco or Spain, and he sought by his action to obtain perpetuation of testimony in support of his claims to tho title and estates.—The defendants, who were variously interested with remainder upon the death of Lord Sackville, denied that the marriage had taken place, aid in the alternative they denied the validity of the ceremony. The substance of the present application was that permission might ho: given for a commission to issue to examine certain infirm witnesses on behalf of the.plaintiff in Spain and France, as such evidence might be lost before ho could bring his rights to trial after the death of Lord Sackville. —Mr Justice Kekewich thought the plaintiff had made out a case for a commission, and referred tho matter to Chambers to r-ettlo the form of tho ordor.—Loavo to appeal was given. Lord Sackville, fifth son of tho fifth Earl do la Warr, was born in July, 1827, and is therefore in his 76th year. ‘Ho entered the Diplomatic service in 1847. It was he—Sir Lionel SackvilleWest—who was sent home from Washington by President Cleveland owing to his alleged utterances on American eleotion questions. That ended bis political career. He succeeded his brother as Baron Sackville in 1888. During a visit to Paris in 1852, ho made the acquaintance of a Spanish dancer, Josephine Durand do Ortega, whose stage name was Pepita de Oliva. She died m 1871, leaving sis children.,